I would guess that using a compost toilet is illegal in our area, except in the case of an emergency. I am posting this information so you can take the time now to educate yourself on how to safely make, use, and maintain a compost toilet so you can keep your family from getting sick during an extended loss of utilities. This information is also good for rustic camping without toxic chemicals.

I bought a toilet lid (for $10) that snaps onto a 5-gallon bucket our emergency kit. Our plan is to use it like a composting toilet (as described for the Loveable Lu). One major advantage is that we can use it for camping or in our regular bathroom, if needed. We have a big water jug with a spout that can stay on the counter for hand washing. To use our bucket toilet like a composting toilet means I will need to keep a bucket of finely ground organic material to use as a cover material. Some recommended materials are sawdust, pine needles, or crumbled dry leaves. You can also use ground coffee grounds, shredded newspapers or other dry compostable materials you have an abundance of. Material that is not as fine as sawdust will not work as well at covering odor so plan to use it outside.

When I was a child, my family used a composting toilet while camping. They are sanitary and odor-free if used and maintained properly. They are not the same as the stinky port-a-potties seen at parks or temporary events. We did not use toxic chemicals. The bucket was emptied into a hole and covered. This was more convenient than using the RV toilet because we didn’t have running water at some camping sites. At that time, RV toilet chemicals smelled much worse than sawdust. Even if chemicals smell better today, I don’t want to pour poisons into my yard. I plant keep a bucket fulls of sawdust from untreated wood on hand.

WHY USING A COMPOST TOILET IS BETTER THAN A FLUSH TOILET

Like I already said, I do not know if this is legal so check the laws in your area before you switch to using a composting toilet. The following articles are from those advocating compost toilet use for all times, not just emergencies: